


The Black Cat

by EruditeStateofMind



Category: OFF (Game), The Witch's House
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-18
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-09 10:44:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1979838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EruditeStateofMind/pseuds/EruditeStateofMind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a bedridden Hugo is offered the chance at better life, will he trust the mysterious black cat who offered it to him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

# Chapter 1

“Hugo, I’m leaving for the day,” father said curtly before turning on his heels and departing. I sighed, but inhaling too deeply then led to coughing fit. While the coughs shook my body, father didn't even look back. 

He did this often. Leaving with no true explanation. I despised him for it. I was basically on death’s doorstep because of my illness and he couldn't care less. If he did, he showed his emotions terribly. How dare he leave me all alone with no one else. I was his son, and his creator. He wouldn't exist if it weren't for me, but he would let me die without a second thought. 

I longed for my mother’s company. Her regal and upright, yet kind and loving nature was something I needed. However, I saw her even less than father. She ran the kingdom, so I couldn't blame her absence. But, that didn't stop the aching in my heart. 

I turned over in my bed, pulling the blankets over my head to block out the rest of the world. I just wanted to disappear. I wanted nothing to do with my good for nothing father. I didn't want the gifts he brought me to try to make up for his lack of love. I didn't want my mother to desert me for her work. At least I knew she loved me, whereas I knew father would “purify” and kill me if he had the opportunity. I had heard him discussing it and contemplating it many times. He was horribly loud. But, he often just gave me calloused looks and then left for the day. I hated him. I hated myself for creating him. 

I tried to squeeze out tears, but just wound up coughing. I covered my hand with my mouth, and when I pulled it away it was speckled with blood. Dizziness overcame me and I rested my head on my pillow and snapped my eyes shut. My lungs burned and my throat was rubbed raw from all of the coughing. My whole body shook with pain. I couldn’t have even moved if I wanted to. I let out a groan.

“Yo. What’s wrong, Hugo?” I heard a voice say. It definitely wasn't father, the tone was warmer and younger. I wanted to respond, but pain radiated throughout my whole body and made it impossible for me to move. “Cat got your tongue?” The voice said and then burst into laughter.

I slowly pushed the blankets off of me and opened my eyes. I looked around for the source of the voice. Everything looked normal, except for a black cat perched on the foot of my bed. “Was it you? Did you say that?” I asked. 

“Yup. I've been watching you for a while now, and you've captured my interest, Hugo.”

“Are you a specter? Is that how you know me?”

The cat tilted its head, lost in thought. “Hmmm, I wouldn't say a ‘specter.’ Try demon.”

“A demon? I didn't think we had those here.”

“Well, as you can tell, I’m one of a kind.” It chuckled a bit. “Now, I’m not here to crack jokes and explain myself to you. I’m here to do business with you.”

“Business?”

“You got it. I want to offer you an opportunity out of here. Away from your parents, away from this prison cell of a room, and even away from your illness. I can take that all away. I can offer you a home. A place where you can feel truly loved, safe, and even cured. I can take away all of your troubles.”

I looked at the cat, dismayed. “You’re lying to me,” I said. I tried to sit up and make myself seem bigger than I actually was, but my body hurt so much I had to remain lying down. I began coughing again, too. 

“I can assure you that I’m telling the truth. I can get rid of the sickness that has ruined your life. But, there’s a stipulation. I need to be recompensed for all this trifling work that I’m doing for you.”

Through my coughing I managed to ask, “What do you need?”

“Ah, so you agree?” 

“No, not quite yet. What do you want me to do?”

“It’s simple really. I need you to offer me a soul. The way to get me a soul is by killing someone. I’ll even give you the tool you need.” He handed me a huge machete. “Now, answer me. Are you willing to lead a better life in exchange for someone else's?”

Images of me plunging the machete into father's chest rushed through my mind. “Yes, I am.” I swear I saw the cat smile.


	2. Chapter 2

# Chapter 2

“I’ll be off now. Enjoy yourself. I’m hoping to be in contact very soon.” The cat then hopped off of my bed and trotted off. I tried to follow him with my eyes, but he disappeared before I got a good look.

I pulled the blankets back over my head. What was I thinking? Father and myself didn’t quite get along, but he was my creation and my guardian. How could I possibly think that I could take his life? However, when I looked at the blade lying on my lap, energy buzzed through my body. I was...excited by the thought of using it. Of feeling metal plunge into flesh. 

I shook my head. I couldn’t. But my eyes kept wandering back to the glinting blade. I rolled over and shut my eyes. Soon after, sleep found me. A string of nightmares kept me restless. I could picture myself, eyes glowing red, stabbing my father and watching the blood spill out of him. Then, I dreamt about the demonic cat swallowing me whole. Many other terrible images popped into my brain, but I can’t quite recall what they were.

When I finally awoke, my breathing was shallow. I was hyperventilating, which again led to coughing. I attempted to even out my breaths, but the coughing kept me from getting a breath. I was suffocating. I couldn’t afford to die so quickly. My lungs ached from lack of oxygen and I could see black spots dancing in my vision. _Focus. In and out. Don’t think of coughing. Just breathing._ After fighting my body for a minute or so, I regained composure. I was shaking horribly from the physical effects of the coughing fit and from the fear I was feeling. 

My eyes wandered over to the doorway where I saw a figure watching me. I squinted to figure out who it was, but deep in my heart I already knew. I saw the baseball hat first and then the stripes of his outfit and then his pale, hardened complexion. Father. Anger swelled in my chest. I was asphyxiating and he did nothing to help. My thoughts were clouded with unbridled anger. He didn’t care about me at all. His love was nonexistent. Did I give him a heart? If I did, then I guess I didn’t activate it when I breathed life into him.

He watch me with wide, unblinking eyes for a couple of seconds. Then, he turned to leave. “Father,” I called out with a scratchy voice. He swiveled around towards me. “Please, I need you near me. I-I feel...very sick right now.” 

He started towards me. His stony expression did not crack. There was no sympathy in his face, so I wouldn’t have any either. He got to my bedside, but refused to kneel next to me. I grabbed his hand and pulled him down. How sickening your hand feels on mine. He did come face to face with me, but incredibly reluctantly. 

“Father, I’m scared of dying. I may die right here.” He didn’t even move. Bastard. “This may be the last time I speak to you.” Nothing. “So, for my last moments, please hold me.” Unmoving. “Oh, so you’re not going to come near me. Is it because of my illness?” Statue. “In that case, why don’t you just die?” 

I pulled the machete out from under my blankets. Although my movement were a bit sluggish, I caught him off guard. Every movement burned with white-hot pain. I used one hand to hold down his shoulders and the other to shove the knife into his windpipe. Black blood spilled out everywhere. He tried to gasp for breath, but to no avail. Blackness continued to stain the surroundings. He deserved to be the one suffocating and drowning in his own filthy fluids. I grabbed a hold of his hand and felt to life fade out of him.

“Goodbye,” I whispered in a voice filled with malice. I released his hand and let him fall to the ground. All the adrenaline left my body and I laid back down, plagued with fatigue.  
“Ah, thank you for the delicious meal.” I hadn’t even heard the black cat come in, yet he was right next me, gorging on father’s insides. “Now that you have offered me a soul, are you ready for your new life?”

I nodded solemnly and sat up. I looked down at the ground and observed carnage I had caused. All at once shock and disgust at myself slammed into me. Bile rose in my throat. _What have I done?!_ I felt my insides liquefy and my body go numb. _How could I have caused...that? Do I even deserve to be called a person anymore?_

As if reading my mind the cat answered, “No, you won’t be human anymore. Let’s call you a wizard instead. Please, follow me.” The cat the slinked off. I offered a wordless goodbye, for real this time, to my deceased father. I felt awful, yet somehow detached. I knew that I could never have done that. I knew that I wasn’t terrible. I breathed in, steeled my nerves, and walked behind the black cat.


	3. Chapter 3

#  Chapter 3

My legs were beginning to buckle under me, but I continued to follow the black cat. All of the adrenaline and malicious energy had left my body, leaving me wallowing in regret and weariness. However, I was not about to give up the opportunity to start a new life, especially after what I did. My body throbbed and my lungs begged for air, but I refused to slow down. I coughed heavily. 

“Oh, my mistake! I will cure that immediately,” the black cat said. 

He flicked his tail and suddenly everything in me changed. I felt myself gaining strength. My breaths started to come in more evenly, my throat stopped burning, my lungs could get ample amounts of air, and the lethargy ceased to exist. For the first time in my life, my body felt healthy. I could’ve wept with happiness, but I could never express my gratitude. So, I just released a sigh of relief and awe. I owed my life to the black cat. I felt invincible.

“That’s because you are.”

“Excuse me?” I said. I noticed that talking was no longer a taxing labor. But, I was more preoccupied with the cat and the fact that he knew what I was thinking about. “Uh-”

“Would you like to run the rest of the way there? I mean, you can do that now.”

At that moment I wanted nothing more. I nodded yes, and he took off sprinting into the woods behind my house. I was a bit awkward at first, but I ran. I ran as if my life depended on it. And at that moment, it did. 

The cat slowed to a stop in front of a large yellow building, which struck me as quite familiar. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, though. The cat then slowly walked towards the front door. I jogged after him.

“Welcome to your new home, my wizard,” the cat purred. “My first wizard, how exciting.” I stood staring at the gigantic thing. This was...mine? “Go on in. It is yours. I would even say it’s a part of you now.” I thought I heard him chuckle after the last comment. 

I stepped into the building. It was very sparse, but at the same time elegant. I walked around, touching the walls to make sure it was tangible and not a part of imagination. “Are you sure I own this?” I questioned.

“Yes. Now to take care of the business end of things, you can never leave this place. Not unless you want your illness back. Oh, and if you do step outside the illness will rot away at your body, but you cannot die.”

He said it so bluntly and quickly, I almost fell over. The air in my new lungs was taken away. I could never leave? “S-so, I can never go visit my mother? I can’t see the town anymore? Why?”

“I thought it was pretty clear. We have a contract together. You are here on your own terms. I’m insuring that you can’t bail out. That would be...quite rude. Now I-did you hear that?” His ears twitched. 

Because of my disbelief at the situation, I wasn’t paying attention the the world around me. Only my own racing thoughts. I barely even noticed the white cat slink out of the shadows. 

“Making more arbitrary deals now, bother? I never said you could use my house for your unethical amusements.”

The black cat narrowed his eyes. “Church, I never thought I would have to see you again.”


End file.
